I go to college very far from home and often find myself crashing at a friend's house during breaks/weekends. Sometimes I'll be there for over a week and I feel like I should give them gifts because they take such wonderful care of me.I saw a lot of topics about gifts for host families in other countries, but we live in the same country, just other sides, so it's not like I can take some amazing USA thing to them. I live in California and they live in the northeast. Also, I rarely know the family before going to live with them and I also have no clue ahead of time where I'm going, so I was trying to think of some generic gifts that I can make for them. I'm not very good at "generic" gifts; I really have no clue what they'd be.I already have gifts made ahead of time for the ones I know, but I want to be prepared for my new families.

Food is generally appreciated - homemade treats, baked goods. If you want to make things ahead of time, jams, jellies, preserves, or baked goods that can be frozen like quick breads, pound cakes, some bars and cookies.

If you're staying with a family, game sets are often very appreciated. Checker boards are easy to paint or quilt and tend to become heirlooms full of fun memories. If you're staying with someone with young kids or grandkids, you can make tick-tack-toe games similarly too.

Otherwise, I second the ideas for coaster sets, pot holders, kitchen towels, and the like.